The present invention relates to the field of education, and more particularly to a method and computer program for playing an educational card game that teaches mathematical facts.
The educational value of card games is often limited. While playing these games, players generally do not use higher-level mathematical skills to compete with other players. Flash cards may be used to teach higher-level mathematical skills, but do not provide for a fun, entertaining, or competitive learning environment.
In accordance with the present invention, a method and computer program for playing an educational card game that teaches mathematical facts are provided which eliminate or reduce disadvantages and problems associated with previous techniques. In a particular embodiment, the present invention provides the rules and structure for a card game, played with physical cards or on a computer, in which players identify matches between mathematical question cards and mathematical answer cards in a competitive and learning environment.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for playing an educational card game that teaches mathematical facts includes the step of distributing cards to the players, where the cards include mathematical question cards and mathematical answer cards. Each player in turn then: draws at least one card; determines whether a mathematical question card and a mathematical answer card in the player""s hand match and, if so, posts the matching cards to a scoring area associated with the player; determines whether a mathematical question card in the player""s hand and a mathematical answer card previously played by another player match and, if so, posts the mathematical question card to the scoring area; and discards one of the cards held by the player. If the discarded card was not the player""s last card then the method repeats for the next player. If the discarded card was the player""s last card then the method calculates a score.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, software for playing an educational game, embodied in a computer readable media, distributes cards to players, the cards including mathematical question cards and mathematical answer cards. For each player in turn, the software draws at least one card; determines whether a mathematical question card and a mathematical answer card in the player""s hand match and, if so, posts the matched cards to a scoring area associated with the player in response to player input; determines whether a mathematical question card in the player""s hand and a mathematical answer card previously player by another player match and, if so, posts the mathematical question card to the scoring area in response to player input; and discards one of the cards held by the player in response to player input. If the discarded card was not the player""s last card, then the software repeats the steps for the next player. If the discarded card was the player""s last card, then the software calculates a score.
The invention provides a number of technical advantages. The method and computer program for playing an educational card game teaches mathematical facts in a more engaging and competitive learning environment. Specifically, players are encouraged through a variety of opportunities to match mathematical questions to the appropriate mathematical answer, all in the environment of a card game. In a particular embodiment, each mathematical question card illustrates a product of two single digit numbers without an answer and each mathematical answer card illustrates a single number answer. By constantly identifying answers to mathematical questions, the players familiarize themselves and begin to master higher-level mathematical skills. In the specific embodiment for multiplication facts, a single mathematical answer card may match a number of mathematical question cards, which allows the players to appreciate the relationship among different multiplication facts. Moreover, the cards may be color-coded to illustrate the relationship between question and answers.
Further technical advantages include a set of specific rules that develop a competitive structure and nature to the learning environment. Specifically, for each turn a player can strategically choose between drawing a card from a set of undistributed cards or drawing a discarded card together with any other more recently discarded cards. In this manner, the player may strategically assess a number of different mathematical expressions before making this decision. Furthermore, once a player discards her last card, the present invention provides further learning opportunities in assessing the score. One possible scoring criteria determines a player""s score as a first value of cards in the player""s scoring area minus a second value of cards in the player""s hand. Another possible scoring criteria determines a player""s score as a first value equal to the sum of the mathematical answer cards in the player""s scoring area minus a second value equal to the sum of the mathematical answer cards and the mathematical question cards left in the player""s hand. Using these or numerous other scoring possibilities, the present invention provides further competitive and engaging instruction in mathematical facts. In the particular embodiment in which the educational card game is embodied in software, further teaching opportunities to become familiar with mathematical facts may include prompting the players for identification of matches or a calculation of scores.
Other technical advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.